NYT Strands No. 972 Features Halloween Theme 'It's in the Bag'

Key points

• CNET identifies the theme for Strands No. 972 as 'It's in the bag,' with a hint referencing Charlie Brown receiving a rock.
• The spangram for the puzzle is 'TRICKORTREAT,' which spans the board from left to right.
• Non-spangram answers include TOOTHBRUSH, RING, FANGS, APPLE, CANDY, and STICKER.
• The New York Times rates the puzzle difficulty as easy based on tester averages.
• PC Guide explains that Strands involves finding hidden words in a 6x8 grid, distinguishing it from Wordle's single-word format.

Background

Recent Strands puzzles have varied in difficulty, with No. 969 rated as moderate on October 28. Earlier in October, puzzles featured themes like 'Changing course' and 'Double, double toil and trouble.' The current puzzle follows a trend of seasonal themes, specifically Halloween, which is an exception to the NYT's usual avoidance of holiday topics.

How outlets are covering it

The New York Times provides partial hints and rates the puzzle as easy, focusing on the user experience and community engagement. CNET offers complete solutions and emphasizes the Halloween theme, noting that the NYT usually avoids seasonal topics. PC Guide focuses on the mechanics of the game, comparing Strands to Wordle and highlighting the unlimited guess feature and hint system. While the NYT withholds full answers, CNET and PC Guide provide detailed breakdowns for solvers.

Why it matters

Strands continues to be a popular daily word game, with outlets providing extensive support for solvers. The inclusion of a Halloween theme marks a rare seasonal exception for the NYT, potentially increasing engagement during the holiday period. The availability of hints and full answers across multiple platforms ensures that players can complete the puzzle regardless of their skill level.

What to watch

Players can expect the next Strands puzzle to be released at midnight in their local time zone. The NYT typically publishes two Sidekicks daily to accommodate global players. Future puzzles may return to non-seasonal themes, as the NYT generally avoids holiday topics outside of specific exceptions like Halloween.